The present invention relates to a two band imaging system. More specifically, but without limitation, the present invention relates to a two band real time infrared imaging absolute radiometer.
Infrared imaging devices convert invisible infrared energy into useful forms such as visible images. This is accomplished by first detecting infrared radiation, which is emitted or reflected from objects in a field of view, and then producing resultant data corresponding to the flux level of the infrared radiation that is detected. Generally, infrared imaging devices include an optical system for receiving the infrared radiation, detector elements for producing a response corresponding to the flux level of the infrared radiation received through the optical system, and an electronics unit for processing the response produced by the detector elements and generating a corresponding digital output.
In general, commercially available infrared imaging systems which are designed to provide video imagery, have limited dynamic range, operate in a single band, and if configured to operate as thermographs, are calibrated in temperature, not absolute radiance.
Infrared imaging systems have long been used to evaluate scene radiance. Scene radiance can be defined, but without limitation, as the radiant brightness or light of a particular area. In many cases, users are not fully conversant with the instrumentation and confine themselves to attempting thermography (the determination of the temperature of the target). Current thermographic imagers rely on radiance measurements to evaluate temperatures. However, these imagers require prior knowledge of the emissivity of the measured object for the measurement to have any physical validity.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a two band imaging system that incorporates the listed benefits without the limitations inherent in present methods. For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a two band imaging system.